Brian Ventrudo

Book Excerpt: The Armchair Astronomer, Volume 1

November 4, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

The “Heart Nebula” show the reddish glow of hydrogen atoms energized by bright stars that form inside this emission nebula. Lanes and patches of dark nebulae are also visible in the foreground of this star-forming region of the Milky Way. — The “Heart Nebula” show the reddish glow of hydrogen atoms energized by bright stars that form inside this emission nebula. Lanes and patches of dark nebulae are also visible in the foreground of this star-forming region of the Milky Way (Image by Terry Hancock).

(Today’s article is an excerpt of the book The Armchair Astronomer, Volume 1. It’s available from Cosmic Pursuits in multiple formats at this link).

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When 18th-century composer William Herschel grew restless with his life as a professional musician, he turned to the new science of astronomy for inspiration and challenge. Like most new stargazers, Herschel began by reading popular works of astronomy, learning the names of the stars and constellations, and inspecting the heavens with telescopes made with small glass lenses that collected the feeble light from distant stars [Read more…] about Book Excerpt: The Armchair Astronomer, Volume 1

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Mars, Jupiter, and Venus in This Morning’s Sky

October 27, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

A great view of Mars, Jupiter, and Venus (in order of increasing brightness) over the Canadian prairies in the morning sky on October 27, 2015 by Alan Dyer at AmazingSky.com.

The trio of planets, Mars, Venus & Jupiter, in #conjunction in the moonlit morning sky, Oct 27, from home in Alberta pic.twitter.com/6PyL5aH6s2

— Alan Dyer (@amazingskyguy) October 27, 2015

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The Halloween Fireballs

October 27, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Taurids — Taurid fireball imaged on October 28, 2005 by Hiroyuki Iida.

The Taurid meteor shower runs from early October through late November each year and peaks in the early morning of November 12. This year, in 2015, that’s just a day after new Moon, which means the sky will be at its darkest for this event. Because they are active over Halloween, and they displayed an impressive outburst about 10 years ago at the end of October, the Taurids are sometimes called the Halloween Fireballs [Read more…] about The Halloween Fireballs

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Orionid Meteor Shower 2015

October 14, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

The usually reliable Orionid meteor shower runs from October 17-25, 2015, and peaks in the early morning of October 21. The first-quarter Moon will set after midnight at the peak of the shower year, so it will be a great year to see the Orionids, which at their peak, can display as many as 30 meteors per hour [Read more…] about Orionid Meteor Shower 2015

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Mercury, the Moon, and Assorted Stars and Planets Before Dawn

October 9, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Mercury, a waning crescent Moon, and assorted other stars and bright planets as seen 30 minutes before sunrise in the eastern sky.

If you’re up for a weekend challenge, grab your binoculars, find a clear view down to the eastern horizon, and head out about 30 minutes before sunrise to spot fingernail-thin crescent Moon right next to the planet Mercury in the pre-dawn sky. A pair of binoculars will help you pull an image of the pair out of the brightening sky. Westward (above) this pair you will also see the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Venus in the constellation Leo. The event favors observers in the northern hemisphere, but it is also visible in the south, although the sky will be slightly brighter when Mercury emerges above the horizon.

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